CHRISTCHURCH, Thursday.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1902, 13 September 1884, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH, Thursday.

Shortly before midnight last night tht wool scouring and leather manufacturing premises, belonging to Bowron Btotheis, Feiry-ioad, were destioyed by fire. The damage is estimated at C 2190. The only insurance is £1(500 in the National Office. The origin of the fire is unknown. In December last a lad 13 years of age, named Edward Cox, woiking at Bitch Hill station, Ashley, left home with an old man named Travels, without the consent of his parents. Ho was seen at Kaikoma, but, though the police made enquires all over the colony, nothing was heai(l of him until last week, when Travels, who had enticed the boy away, was arrested for horse-stealing at Ah aura, on the West Coast, and stated the boy was living at the house of one Macdonild. His patents, who despaired of seeing him again, weie informed, and insttuctions have been sent to the Ahaura police to send the boy to Christchurch.

Friday. At a meeting of the unemployed this morning fifty were present. The men have lecently been discharged from the Go\ eminent lelief woiUs, and are offered woik on the Little Ri\er i ail way line, but being mairied men they say the price offered by the Go\ ernmeut (Sd per yard for formation) means little short of starvation for themselves aud families. It was resolved to petition Government for a higher price.